After scoring against Barnsley, Owen said: "I hope the England manager was pleased, but my initial concerns are Newcastle and playing for Newcastle because if I don't play for Newcastle, I don't play for England.

"Newcastle is very important to me. Hopefully I can play some part on Saturday as well and do well, and if I do that, hopefully I will get the call from England.

"But it is in that order. It is club first and you have got to do well for your club or you are not picked for your country."

He added: "Playing and scoring are the two things I get paid to do and when you have done both of them, you go home happy with your night's work.

"I wouldn't say the feeling of coming off after playing and scoring and winning was one of relief.

"I know I'm fine, I know I'm fit, I know I'm strong and I know if I am all those things, then they add up to Michael Owen scoring goals because that's what I have always done.

"I am not relieved in any way, I'm just happy I can go home like every other player and look forward to training and look forward to the game on Saturday, because I haven't been able to do that for quite a while."